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Focus exercise with XIO Drupal 8 development platform for IMPREX

JUL 2016

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Hendrik De Backer

Since the final release of Drupal 8 at the end of 2015, we have been hatching the idea of a development platform as a kickstart route for smaller websites, featuring the latest Drupal technology. For IMPREX, we fine-tuned the development platform once again and expanded it to include extra functionalities which are now also available for future clients.

Smaller organisations, start-ups and event organisers need to shift gear quickly. They mainly need a tried and tested CMS which can produce an informative website quickly and easily. It goes without saying that it must be responsive, SEO-proof and offer all the standard usability features. For these kinds of clients, we have constructed a development platform with Drupal 8. Think of it as a Meccano box full of easily finished and combinable components, ready to take on the client's own personalised design.

This is exactly what we did for IMPREX. The end result allows our partner Arctik, which is responsible for the entire communication section within IMPREX, to manage all the information on the website autonomously during the period 2015-2019.

Information and collaboration

The main aim of the website is to provide information: various kinds of content and pages are packaged in a responsive design, ensuring that the site also works well on mobile devices.

News and events can be brought to the attention of visitors quickly and easily. Specific case studies are included for each research sector. Social media is supported by means of the classic “Share on my page” pattern and the site has an integrated Twitter feed.

For all the content, our Drupal 8 development platform provides good SEO support complete with meta information, clean URLs and other modern features.

In the project section, we have provided many functionalities which bring the employees into (virtual) contact with one another. For example, a neat “Meet the team” structure includes a presentation by each of the 23 partners. Their employees can submit a “Guest Post” for publication. An extra feedback module, which can be deployed when required, invites online debate. Finally, a “Resource” section makes it easier to produce and share the interim results.

A growth spurt for the XIO Drupal 8 development platform

For our own Drupal 8 development platform and projects for other clients, this project for IMPREX also offers a great deal of added value.

With a little fine-tuning, we succeeded in mapping a third-party visual design to our framework.

The back-end environment for content managers has been simplified still further and is now extremely user-friendly.

For use in other projects, we now offer an ‘Organisation and Employee’ content type as standard (see also above).

All within the specified schedule and project budget, leading to a satisfied client.

Would you like to find out how our platform and methods can benefit your own site?

We would be happy to visit you or welcome you to our office in Ghent for a coffee and a chat. Contact us!